The Olympics are here at last! Well, some of the football at least: Old Trafford football ground is playing host to both men’s and women’s football matches, with a range of transport links in place. As well as the Metrolink trams (closest stops: Old Trafford or Exchange Quay) there are free shuttle buses from Piccadilly and Victoria railway stations. Meanwhile, three Park & Ride sites are available for pre-booking: sites at Salford Reds stadium, the Trafford Centre and Sport City – scene of the Commonwealth Games ten years ago this month.

A huge number of buses are required to operate various routes to venues in London. Both Stagecoach and FirstGroup are amongst operators providing vehicles to the capital, but with seemingly different strategies. First has been stockpiling 200 brand new double-deckers for the Games, which will then enter service around the country afterwards – rumours that almost half of these could be earmarked for Greater Manchester, which will be a welcome fillip.

In Manchester and Salford, there were plently of Stagecoach buses, along with First, Bullocks and R S Tyrer.

As for new buses, in the TfGMC documents for its August 3 meeting, it does mention in the Bus Network Performance document that First Manchester will get 100 new buses following the Olympics and that Stagecoach will also be replacing some of their vehicles post-Olympics.